He mouthed the words clearly, and though Yan Zhen couldn’t hear him, she could read his lips.

He said: See you tomorrow.

"Who wants to see you tomorrow?" Yan Zhen muttered as she rolled up the window, her ears burning from his gaze. "I should have just told him I didn't want that thing back."

"Didn't want what back?" Yan Zhao asked, turning to her.

"Nothing," she coughed. "Let's go. I'm meeting Ying Shu for some shopping this afternoon."

All troubles, Ying Shu, Yan Zhen’s best friend, believed, could be solved through shopping.

And so, Ying Shu was now dragging Yan Zhen from one luxury store to another, swiping her card for anything that caught her eye. They’d accumulated a pile of shopping bags in no time. Even Yan Zhen was surprised. "What's gotten into you today?"

"I'm not happy. Just letting off some steam." Ying Shu tossed her hair, launching into a litany of complaints. "My dad is infuriating. Yesterday, he told me I'm too extravagant and I'll never get married. He said he can't support me forever and that I need to learn to be frugal. He even said he's already looking for potential partners for me and wants me to meet one. Is he that eager to get rid of me? I'm only 25!"

Ying Shu’s father had come from a poor family, laid off from a factory job in his early years. He’d later seized an opportunity, riding the wave of economic development to build a successful business. Ying Shu often joked that, unlike Yan Zhen, she was a "nouveau riche second generation."

"He suffered so much when he was young that he’s always trying to control me with outdated ideas," Ying Shu continued to grumble. "Sometimes, you just can't reason with him."

Their conversation drifted as they entered a jewelry store. A well-trained sales associate immediately approached them with a practiced smile. "Good afternoon, ladies."

The display cases sparkled with diamonds and jewels. The two women browsed casually, their attention quickly drawn to a diamond necklace displayed on a mannequin in the central glass case.

"You have excellent taste. This is our designer's new piece for this spring," the sales associate said, guiding them closer. "This full diamond necklace utilizes a brand-new cutting technique. The design is inspired by Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, and symbolizes love."

"It's beautiful," Ying Shu admired. "And the meaning is so romantic."

"Indeed. And it's a limited edition, globally. We don't have any in stock at the moment. If you're interested, you'll need to pre-order." The sales associate smiled. "It's extremely popular. CEO Chen of He Xia Group, I’m not sure if you’ve heard of him, ordered one two weeks ago."

Chen Huaixu?

Yan Zhen froze, her mind flashing back to him standing outside the car earlier.

Ying Shu glanced at the price tag the sales associate handed her and clicked her tongue. "He's really splashing out."

Yan Zhen’s curiosity was piqued.

Chen Huaixu certainly wouldn't wear it himself. That meant it was a gift. Who was he giving it to?

Could he have someone he liked?

Who was his goddess of love?